2008 Roster

[DAR]

Finley might come back too. The way his game is improving, I think the collective bargaining agreement might keep him around, unless of course Washington shows him big time money. Washington just dumped a boatload into Ovechkin...

Duncan, well, here is what I'm thinking. His numbers are off from last year's Hobey performance. He is still a great player, but he still has to deal with NHL perception of a 5'6 player. His Dad had a brief pro career, so he knows how fickle the league can be. Having an education to fall back on if the big $ isn't there might be enough incentive to stick around.

Its all speculation on the freshmen, although Toews, Cichy, Gregoire and Hextall all sound like big time players.

Assume for a second that Duncs and Finley stay:

I wonder if Miller and Kozek are under the microscope i.e. Hak has said if you don't earn it this year, you are sitting next year.

Clearly Forney, Davison and Martens are also under this microscope in practice.

For THIS year, I still think we should split up Duncs and Osh, except for on the PP

Move Kaip back to Center on the third scoring line:

VV centering Trupp and Duncan (scoring 1)

Oshie centering Watkins and Frattin (scoring 2)

Zajac centering Radke and Malone (checking)

Kaip centering Kozek and Miller (scoring 3)

Oshie centering Duncan and Trupp (pp1)

VV centering Frattin and Kozek (pp2)

Kaip and Duncan (pk1)

VV and Oshie (pk2)

I like the D:

Chorney and Bina

Finley and Genoway

Jones and Marto (we've been winning without Lapoint)

Yeah well that is why we are on this board and not the coach!! LaPoint deserves to play....why should he be scratched?? We have 7 good d men, that is a luxury. It will be interesting to see who the 6th d-man is this weekend. I see LaPoint playing Friday and if things go well he will play Sat as well

[siouxnami]

Come on VV will not be leaving....I mean look at the guys who leave after two years....Toews, Parise. Unless a player has that kind of talent or is disgruntled no one leaves after two years.

Toews, Parise, and others came in young. VV played a year in the USHL so for a fair comparison this is more like his Junior year. Also I assumption is that he will continue to improve like he has for the last season. If this is the case he will be one of the best big men in college hockey at year end.

[yzerman19]

I'm just not impressed with Lapoint. He is not physical at all. He has some skill, but you have to be able to hit in this league. I think Chorney's early season slump was in part due to his being paired with Lapoint. Agree with DAR, that's why I'm not coaching, but I played a while, and watch a lot. Lapoint reminds me of a slightly less skilled...dare i say it on this board?...Brian Lee

[Trunk Monkey]

I'm just not impressed with Lapoint. He is not physical at all. He has some skill, but you have to be able to hit in this league. I think Chorney's early season slump was in part due to his being paired with Lapoint. Agree with DAR, that's why I'm not coaching, but I played a while, and watch a lot. Lapoint reminds me of a slightly less skilled...dare i say it on this board?...Brian Lee

LaPoint, in my humble opinion, has had a very good start to his Sioux career along with Marto. Although not overly agressive, I think he will adjust to the speed and the physical nature of the WCHA. He will be an impact player at UND and from my vantage point has been steadily improving as the season has progressed. It will be interesting to see him back in the line up. My prediction is that he will have a great weekend!

[Old Time Hockey]

I'm just not impressed with Lapoint. He is not physical at all. He has some skill, but you have to be able to hit in this league. I think Chorney's early season slump was in part due to his being paired with Lapoint. Agree with DAR, that's why I'm not coaching, but I played a while, and watch a lot. Lapoint reminds me of a slightly less skilled...dare i say it on this board?...Brian Lee

What a great hockey mind......................

[dagies]

Big defensemen don't have to be physical if they can do one of two things:

1. Keep the opponent from scoring

and/or

2. Score

LaPoint hasn't been flashy but he seems like he's done a solid job so far. I wouldn't knock him for not being physical. For me, sometimes he looks a little tentative but with experience I imagine that will improve too.

Some people are talking about Hextall having big numbers and being a big time player. I think he'll contribute but I wouldn't expect it will be with huge offensive numbers. I think he's going to be more of a PrPich/McMahon/Kaip type player, but that's just my impression.

[brianvf]

Toews, Parise, and others came in young. VV played a year in the USHL so for a fair comparison this is more like his Junior year. Also I assumption is that he will continue to improve like he has for the last season. If this is the case he will be one of the best big men in college hockey at year end.

Toews and Parise came in young because they were skilled enough at a young enough age. VV needed some time to adjust, so he played a year at the USHL level.

Both Toews and Parise also came to UND and played like "stars" right away, where VV took a year to get used to the speed/skill of the league.

I don't think it's fair to compare VV to those 2 players. They were both 1st round draft choices who were head-and-shoulders above their competition skill-wise in their soph years. You can't say that about VV yet.

That said, he could still bolt after this year...I just don't see it happening. Unless he just really needs the money.

[brianvf]

I'm just not impressed with Lapoint. He is not physical at all. He has some skill, but you have to be able to hit in this league. I think Chorney's early season slump was in part due to his being paired with Lapoint. Agree with DAR, that's why I'm not coaching, but I played a while, and watch a lot. Lapoint reminds me of a slightly less skilled...dare i say it on this board?...Brian Lee

Oh no, here we go.

I would disagree. I have been very impressed with LaPoint, especially as a frosh. I have been very impressed with the play of both him and Marto this year. They got thrown into the lineup as freshmen, and sure they've made the occasional freshmen mistakes, but for the most part they have done very well.

I think we'll have a very capable defensive unit next season with LaPoint, Marto, Genoway, and Jones anchoring the unit.

Unless LaPoint leaves early because he's become the "new Brian Lee" on this board.

[brianvf]

Some people are talking about Hextall having big numbers and being a big time player. I think he'll contribute but I wouldn't expect it will be with huge offensive numbers. I think he's going to be more of a PrPich/McMahon/Kaip type player, but that's just my impression.

Agreed. I could see him starting to pick up his scoring in his jr/sr seasons, but until then he will be a very effective "grinder line" forward. Much like Zajac is right now, but with more offensive upside.

[Oxbow6]

I'm just not impressed with Lapoint. He is not physical at all. He has some skill, but you have to be able to hit in this league. I think Chorney's early season slump was in part due to his being paired with Lapoint. Agree with DAR, that's why I'm not coaching, but I played a while, and watch a lot. Lapoint reminds me of a slightly less skilled...dare i say it on this board?...Brian Lee

BLASPHEMY !!

Edit: For the record, I think Lapoint has looked ok for a frosh D-man in the WCHA.

[siouxnami]

Toews and Parise came in young because they were skilled enough at a young enough age. VV needed some time to adjust, so he played a year at the USHL level.

Both Toews and Parise also came to UND and played like "stars" right away, where VV took a year to get used to the speed/skill of the league.

I don't think it's fair to compare VV to those 2 players. They were both 1st round draft choices who were head-and-shoulders above their competition skill-wise in their soph years. You can't say that about VV yet.

That said, he could still bolt after this year...I just don't see it happening. Unless he just really needs the money.

A little revisionist history there on Toews. While Toews was very good in the 2nd half of his freshman year, for the first half of the year he was very ordinary. This is no doubt related to the fact that he was a young 17.

[yzerman19]

Old Time Hockey...I hope you were . I can take a shot, but I dare say that of all things, I've never been called not a good hockey mind. That's a pretty low blow, considering some of the minds in hockey You seemed to pass over rather quickly "played a while" and chose to highlight watch a lot. I did play for about 16 years, I wasn't D1 or pro material, but I've spent many hours on the ice. Besides, I didn't realize that opinions need to be qualified here.

Anyway, Lapoint is a freshman. I don't think he's terrible, I just don't think that he is where he needs to be yet. I have high expectations for the kid. He is an offensive defenseman, or that is his billing anyway; yet, Joe Finley has more points, and about the same points per game. Everyone knows Joe is not a playmaker. As for size, the kid is tall, but he is not thick.

I like the kid, I like the fact that he is part of the Sioux family. I just can't help but state, that with him out of the lineup the last two weekends, we've had 3 of our best defensive performances. Why would you mess with that? Not saying its because Marto was in and Lapoint was out. Just saying that's what happened.

As I stated on a previous post, I look for a defenseman to be able to transition the puck up the ice, protect the puck in the defensive zone, lay the body, get into passing lanes, clear out the slot, and be a safety net for the forwards in the offensive zone. With Lapoint out the last two weekends, I think we've been better at breaking the puck out. That's where I'm coming from. Chorney is definitely playing better with Bina than he was with Lapoint. Is this because of Taylor or because of Robbie? Who knows. I just call it like I see it.

I'm happy to discuss hockey, I just don't like personal shots. It takes away from reasonable disagreements or differences in opinion and makes everyone more ignorant for reading it.

[Sioux]

lapoint and lee are different in that lapoint puts in more effort and he is not no. 9 overall. i think lee started great here and his effort waned with the pressure. that is why lee is doing so much better now. lapoint is very impressive.

[brianvf]

I just can't help but state, that with him out of the lineup the last two weekends, we've had 3 of our best defensive performances. Why would you mess with that?

LaPoint only missed last weekend against Tech.

He played in the Sat 6-2 win against SCSU, picked up an assist, and was a +1.

http://www.collegehockeystats.net/0708/boxes/mndkstc1.j05

[stickboy1956]

... I like the kid, I like the fact that he is part of the Sioux family. I just can't help but state, that with him out of the lineup the last two weekends, we've had 3 of our best defensive performances. Why would you mess with that? Not saying its because Marto was in and Lapoint was out. Just saying that's what happened.

I was in St. Cloud Sat. and saw Marto/Malone in the press box and LaPoint on the ice. So he's only missed 2 games.

[redwing77]

I'm just not impressed with Lapoint. He is not physical at all. He has some skill, but you have to be able to hit in this league. I think Chorney's early season slump was in part due to his being paired with Lapoint. Agree with DAR, that's why I'm not coaching, but I played a while, and watch a lot. Lapoint reminds me of a slightly less skilled...dare i say it on this board?...Brian Lee

Gosh, did I see this coming?

LaPointe ISN'T a physical defenseman! HE NEVER WAS! Not in High School. Not in the USHL. So, tell me, why is it that, if you are a defenseman, you are expected to throw big hits? It truly is amazing to me! He hasn't made a lot of mistakes (certainly less than Smaby his freshman year). You amaze me, yzerman19. You truly do.

By the way, my favorite defenseman of all time is Niklas Lidstrom. The guy is NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT physical AT ALL! Sure, he may have had a big hit in there every now and then, but so did Brian Lee and so will Derrick LaPoint.

Hakstol knows what he's doing. Hak knows more than I do in hockey. If Hakstol plays LaPoint then that was the right decision. If Hak likes it, I like it. PERIOD.

End of rant.

[Big A HG]

Why? Because of the rate he's been tearing up the opposition?

It's just this feeling. Lots of draft picks move on to the AHL whether they should or shouldn't. He hasn't torn it up, but neither did guys like Brian Lee (another Moorehead guy). Granted, Lee was a much higher pick and all, but I just get this feeling that we will lose a player or two that you don't expect.

[ScottM]

lapoint and lee are different in that lapoint puts in more effort and he is not no. 9 overall. i think lee started great here and his effort waned with the pressure. that is why lee is doing so much better now. lapoint is very impressive.

I tend to agree. From what I recall of Lee's first year, he seemed to have peaked around that time, although he did have some brilliant flashes later and seems to be adjusting to the pros well. LaPointe definitely seems to have some upside at the college level, regardless of his draft position. I see more Roche in LaPointe than Commodore, FWIW. Which is never a bad thing.

[AZSIOUX]

I tend to agree. From what I recall of Lee's first year, he seemed to have peaked around that time, although he did have some brilliant flashes later and seems to be adjusting to the pros well. LaPointe definitely seems to have some upside at the college level, regardless of his draft position. I see more Roche in LaPointe than Commodore, FWIW. Which is never a bad thing.

lapoint (no E)

for sure on the roche comparison. not commodore at all. good thinking!

[ScottM]

lapoint (no E)

for sure on the roche comparison. not commodore at all. good thinking!

You're right. For some reason the name struck me as Canadian, and there would be no reason to drop the "e".

[AZSIOUX]

You're right. For some reason the name struck me as Canadian, and there would be no reason to drop the "e".

like LFSPRO said in a previous comment he has french canadian routes but somewhere along the line they dropped the E that is more fitting anyways as hes from wisconsin

[dagies]

You're right. For some reason the name struck me as Canadian, and there would be no reason to drop the "e".

So does he play "defense" or "defence".

[redwing77]

I like the comparison between Roche and LaPoint.... but perhaps yzerman will have to let us know if Roche sucked too. After all, he has 16 years of playing hockey to fall back on.

[DAR]

Gosh, did I see this coming?

LaPointe ISN'T a physical defenseman! HE NEVER WAS! Not in High School. Not in the USHL. So, tell me, why is it that, if you are a defenseman, you are expected to throw big hits? It truly is amazing to me! He hasn't made a lot of mistakes (certainly less than Smaby his freshman year). You amaze me, yzerman19. You truly do.

By the way, my favorite defenseman of all time is Niklas Lidstrom. The guy is NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT physical AT ALL! Sure, he may have had a big hit in there every now and then, but so did Brian Lee and so will Derrick LaPoint.

Hakstol knows what he's doing. Hak knows more than I do in hockey. If Hakstol plays LaPoint then that was the right decision. If Hak likes it, I like it. PERIOD.

End of rant.

You mean your favorite defenseman is a Swede and not Chris Chelios????? I don't quite get that??

[redwing77]

You mean your favorite defenseman is a Swede and not Chris Chelios????? I don't quite get that??

I'm not sure I follow your surprise.

Yes, Chelios nearly went to UND and went to UW instead. Sure, I understand the whole NCAA pride and all, but yeah, my favorite defenseman is a Swede.